Researchers Innovate Treatment Expanding Horizons for Healing Mental Diseases Including Alzheimer's

SadaNews - Researchers have developed a new nano-innovation utilizing ultra-tiny gold particles as therapeutic carriers to deliver lithium medication directly to the brain as a nasal spray, opening promising avenues for the treatment and prevention of mental and neurodegenerative diseases such as bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease.

Lithium has been used for decades to treat certain mental disorders, but its oral use is limited due to a narrow therapeutic safety margin and possible side effects impacting the kidneys and thyroid gland.

Thus, researchers sought to find a method to deliver it directly to the brain at low concentrations without passing through the bloodstream, which reduces the likelihood of side effects while maintaining its efficacy.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Catholic University in Italy and the Polyclinic University Hospital in collaboration with the University of Salerno in Italy, and the results were published in the journal Advanced Materials on September 29 last month, obtaining a patent. The findings were also covered by the website EurekAlert.

This approach targets a key enzyme known as glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β), an enzyme that plays a critical role in various cellular processes and affects over 100 proteins within the cell.

When this enzyme is overactive, disturbances occur in important proteins, contributing to the emergence of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Lithium is considered a potent inhibitor of this enzyme, but achieving the required therapeutic concentration in the brain through oral tablets requires high doses that exceed safe limits.

For this reason, the research team worked on delivering lithium directly to the brain using nano-gold particles through nasal administration.

Lithium and Access to the Brain

Dr. Antonio Bonierba from the Department of Chemistry and Biology at the University of Salerno, a co-researcher in this study, states: "Nano-gold particles are an ideal tool for this strategy, as they can be modified with glutathione, facilitating their entry into cells and binding lithium ions. Once inside, the particles degrade and release lithium within the cell, allowing effective therapeutic concentrations to be reached at low doses."

Dr. Roberto Biasentini from the Neuroscience Department at the Catholic University and a co-researcher in this study explains: "Nasal administration is an ideal route for direct access to the brain and avoids systemic distribution, enhancing safety. Additionally, gold is an inert metal and biocompatible, excreted through the kidneys without accumulating in the brain with repeated use."

The technique was tested on mice with Alzheimer's disease, where the treatment showed a significant improvement in memory and behavior, without notable side effects.

Dr. Julia Poliati from the Neuroscience Department at the Catholic University and a co-researcher in the study clarifies: "We demonstrated that administering nano-gold particles loaded with lithium for 5 days inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta in the hippocampus, and that repeating the treatment for two months led to substantial memory improvement at both behavioral and molecular levels."

Experiments also showed that this treatment regulates the activity of the targeted enzyme in the brain without an increase in lithium levels in the blood, even with long-term use, confirming the safety of the new technology.

Dr. Claudio Grassi from the Neuroscience Department at the Catholic University, a co-researcher in this study, states: "These nano-particles can be easily manufactured, simplifying the production process and reducing costs, paving the way for the marketing of this product in the near future."

Researchers believe that this technology could revolutionize the treatment of mental and neurodegenerative diseases through more precise and safer drugs directed specifically to the brain.

Source: EurekAlert